Battle of Melitopol

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For the World War II operation, see Melitopol offensive.

Battle of Melitopol
Part of the southern Ukraine offensive and the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine
Date25 February – 1 March 2022
(4 days)
Location
Melitopol, Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Ukraine
Status Russian victory
Belligerents
Russia Ukraine
Casualties and losses
4+ civilians killed
12+ injured

The battle of Melitopol was a military engagement between the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the Armed Forces of Russia in the city of Melitopol, Zaporizhzhia Oblast. It was part of the southern Ukraine offensive of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. Russian forces attacked the city on 25 February, and captured it after heavy fighting by 1 March. After the battle ended, citizens held street protests against the military occupation. On 11 March, the city mayor was arrested by Russian troops for refusing to cooperate, but later released on 16 March in exchange for nine Russian prisoners of war.

Background

Melitopol is the second largest city in Zaporizhzhia Oblast after its capital, Zaporizhzhia. It is situated on the Molochna River that flows through the eastern edge of the city and into the Molochnyi Lyman, which eventually joins the Sea of Azov. Its population before the invasion was estimated as 148,851.[1]

The city is located at the crossing of two major European highways, and there is also an electrified railway line of international importance that goes through the city. It was called "the gateway to the Crimea;” prior to the 2014 Russian occupation of Crimea 80% of passenger trains heading to the peninsula passed through the city and during summer road traffic would reach 45,000 vehicles per day.[citation needed] Melitopol's mayor Ivan Fedorov said that if Russian troops had come to the city in 2014, they would have been "welcomed with bread and salt", a traditional greeting in Russia and Ukraine.[2]

Control of the city would allow Russian troops to advance towards Berdiansk and then to Mariupol, which would establish a land connection linking Crimea and the Donetsk People's Republic.[citation needed]

Melitopol Air Base was bombarded early in the morning on 24 February 2022, as part of the initial Russian strikes on Ukrainian military bases in the early hours of the invasion. Cruise missiles hit the control tower, a fueling station, and an Il-76 preparing for takeoff, killing an aviation technician.[2]

About 100 men volunteered for the Territorial Defense Forces in Melitopol in the early hours of 24 February, but were dismissed as there were no weapons to be distributed. In the afternoon, the 25th Transport Aviation Brigade, which was headquartered at Melitopol's air base, was ordered to withdraw from the city; as a logistics unit, it lacked heavy weaponry. Russian tanks reached the entrance of the city by 16:00.[2]

Battle

Explosions were heard throughout Melitopol between 6:00 and 7:00 in the morning of 25 February.[3] By 7:10, reports began to emerge of a Russian column entering the city from the north, with Russian military vehicles seen on Lomonosova Street [uk] and Heroiv Ukrainy Street [uk].[4]

By 10:00, Ukrainian officials announced that street fighting for administrative buildings and military facilities in Melitopol was underway.[3][5] Videos emerged of Russian soldiers taking up positions at Melitopol's city hall [uk] and the Security Service of Ukraine building in the city center. The city's airfield and police building also came under fire.[2][3][4][6] A Ukrainian T-64BV tank was reportedly disabled on Lomonosova Street.[5]

Shells hit apartment buildings and destroyed civilian homes, injuring two civilians,[5] and an oncology centre was fired upon, killing four people and injuring 10 others.[7][8] Shooting and explosions continued to be heard in various neighborhoods into the afternoon.[9] The Russian military claimed that it had taken the city,[10] though James Heappey, the British Armed Forces Minister, said that the Russian claim could not be substantiated.[11] Some residents claimed that the northern part of the city remained under the control of the Ukrainian military.[3]

The following day, Oleksandr Starukh, governor of Zaporizhzhia Oblast, said that the situation in Melitopol was difficult, as fighting continued.[12] A clash between Russian forces and Ukrainian Territorial Defense troops was reported.[13] Russian flags were raised over captured administrative buildings, but the city government was said to be continuing its operations in different buildings.[14]

On 27 February, Russian troops shelled areas in and around the city. Citizens reported hearing gunfire in some areas of the city around 5:00 a.m. and, reportedly, squads of 150 people had been established to patrol the streets at night to "combat" mass looting.[15] The following day, 28 February, the State Emergency Service of Ukraine in Zaporizhzhia Oblast stated that Russian airstrikes and shelling had damaged buildings of an emergency rescue unit, destroying some rescue equipment.[16] Local self-defense forces were able to recapture the city hall building during the day, with mayor Ivan Fedorov saying that Russian troops had destroyed much of the building when it was initially captured. Reports of mass looting of retail stores continued.[17]

On 1 March, after a brief reprieve, Russian forces began preparing to resume their attack on Melitopol and other cities.[18] The mayor later stated that Melitopol had "not surrendered" but Russian forces had successfully occupied the city. Fedorov also highlighted the humanitarian situation in the city, saying people had problems withdrawing money from banks and he urged citizens to ration their supplies as issues replenishing stocks of gasoline, diesel fuel, gas, as well as food and medicines had yet to be resolved.[19] A United States Department of Defense official also confirmed that Melitopol had been recaptured by Russian forces.[20]

Aftermath

Main article: Russian occupation of Zaporizhzhia Oblast § Melitopol

After the fall of the city, Melitopol came under a Russian military occupation.[21] Multiple protests occurred during the Russian occupation of the city.[2]

On 13 March, the Melitopol City Council declared that, "The occupying troops of the Russian Federation are trying to illegally create an occupation administration of the city of Melitopol."[22] It appealed to the Prosecutor General of Ukraine, Iryna Venediktova, to launch a pre-trial investigation into Galina Danilchenko and her party Opposition Bloc for treason.[22] Ukrayinska Pravda reported that the Russian military had abducted Melitopol's District Council Chairman Serhiy Priyma and had tried to abduct City Council Secretary Roman Romanov.[23] Meanwhile, Russian military vehicles were seen announcing via loudspeakers that rallies and demonstrations had been prohibited and that a curfew was imposed from 6:00 pm to 6:00 am.[24]

Ukraine claims that Russian forces are using T-62 tanks in the area of Melitopol.[25]

See also

References

  1. ^ Чисельність наявного населення України на 1 січня 2022 [Number of Present Population of Ukraine, as of January 1, 2022] (PDF) (in Ukrainian and English). Kyiv: State Statistics Service of Ukraine. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 July 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d e Joshua Yaffa (16 May 2022). "A Ukrainian City Under a Violent New Regime". The New Yorker. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d Sinistin, Mikita (25 February 2022). "Над Мелітополем українські прапори, але ситуація тяжка: що відбувається у місті (фото, відео)". Telegraf (in Ukrainian). Archived from the original on 26 February 2022. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
  4. ^ a b Komendantova, Nadezhda (25 February 2022). "У Мелітополі російські танки. Окупанти розстрілюють будівлю СБУ та Нацполіції". Ukranews (in Ukrainian). Archived from the original on 25 February 2022. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
  5. ^ a b c "У Мелітополі гримлять вуличні бої: снаряди руйнують житлові будинки, люди ховаються у сховищах (відео)". Focus (in Ukrainian). 25 February 2022. Archived from the original on 26 February 2022. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
  6. ^ "В Мелітополі російські танки розстрілюють будівлі Нацполіції і СБУ (Відео)". ASPI (in Ukrainian). ASPI News. 25 February 2022. Archived from the original on 2 March 2022. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
  7. ^ "Запоріжжя: повітряна тривога вночі, бої за Мелітополь та російська колона під Приморськом". Radio Svoboda (in Ukrainian). 26 February 2022. Archived from the original on 27 February 2022. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
  8. ^ Thrower, Antony (25 February 2022). "Ukrainian cancer centre left in flames as hospital site attacked by Russians". mirror. Archived from the original on 25 February 2022. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
  9. ^ "В Мелитополе опять идут бои – взрывы и стрельба в разных районах города". Актуальные новости Мелитополя и региона – Местные вести (in Russian). Archived from the original on 25 February 2022. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
  10. ^ McLaughlin, Daniel. "Ukraine invasion: Russia says it has captured city of Melitopol as Kyiv is struck by missiles". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 26 February 2022. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
  11. ^ "Ukrainian city of Melitopol not in Russian hands, British minister says". Reuters. 26 February 2022. Archived from the original on 26 February 2022. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
  12. ^ "Губернатор рассказал о ситуации в Запорожской области – серьезнее всего в Мелитополе". ria-m.tv. Archived from the original on 26 February 2022. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
  13. ^ "В Мелитополе войска РФ уже расстреливают мирных людей (фото, видео)". ria-m.tv. Archived from the original on 26 February 2022. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
  14. ^ "Российские оккупанты развесили свои тряпки на зданиях администрации (фото)". ria-m.tv. Archived from the original on 26 February 2022. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
  15. ^ Marina Korobova (28 February 2022). "Как Мелитополь встретил утро понедельника, 28 февраля". Mestnyye Vesti (in Russian). Archived from the original on 28 February 2022. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  16. ^ Marina Korobova (28 February 2022). "Как Мелитополь встретил утро понедельника, 28 февраля". Mestnyye Vesti (in Russian). Archived from the original on 28 February 2022. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  17. ^ "Запоріжжя: росіяни на в'їздах у Енергодар та мітинги проти них у Бердянську". Radio Svoboda (in Ukrainian). 28 February 2022. Archived from the original on 2 March 2022. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  18. ^ Anastasia Zadorozhnaya (1 March 2022). "Войска оккупанта готовят наступление на Мелитополь". Mestnyye Vesti (in Russian). Archived from the original on 2 March 2022. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  19. ^ Marina Korobova (1 March 2022). ""Мелитополь не сдался, Мелитополь – временно оккупирован" – городской голова о ситуации на 1 марта". Mestnyye Vesti (in Russian). Archived from the original on 2 March 2022. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  20. ^ "Some Russians surrender but situation remains grave - US". BBC News. 27 February 2022. Archived from the original on 6 March 2022. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  21. ^ "Shots Fired In Ukrainian City As Locals Protest Against Russian Occupation". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 2 March 2022. Archived from the original on 5 March 2022. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
  22. ^ a b "Міськрада Мелітополя називає в.о мера від окупантів державною зрадницею". Українська правда (in Ukrainian). 13 March 2022. Archived from the original on 13 March 2022. Retrieved 13 March 2022.
  23. ^ "У Мелітополі триває терор: окупанти викрали голову райради". Українська правда (in Ukrainian). 13 March 2022. Archived from the original on 13 March 2022. Retrieved 13 March 2022.
  24. ^ "Окупанти заборонили мелітопольцям мітинги, ті відповіли традиційно: агресор - нах#й". Українська правда (in Ukrainian). 13 March 2022. Archived from the original on 13 March 2022. Retrieved 13 March 2022.
  25. ^ "Russian forces in Ukraine set to be exhausted by January 2023". News.com.au. 30 May 2022. Archived from the original on 6 June 2022. Retrieved 30 May 2022.

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